Fortunate to Have Great Schools...

I am fortunate to have two wonderful schools for my children to attend. Not only are their schools diverse, they are also environmentally conscious!

My youngest daughter is in the 3rd grade and is a member of Energy Savers - a volunteer group of students that encourage energy saving throughout the school. They've tied a classroom point system to reward the classrooms that keep their lights off when not in use and designed energy saving posters to hang up around the school. Also, the school hosts "Trash Free Tuesdays" when the children are rewarded for not having any trash in their lunches.

My oldest daughter is in 7th grade and attends a Maryland Green School (http://www.maeoe.org/greenschools/). There are a lot of trees and a stream in the back of her school and as part of her Student Service Learning, she and her classmates participate in stream cleaning, ridding the area of invasive species, and making trails.

Having my childrens' school reinforce love and concern for the Earth and our environment is such a blessing!

Going Green Beyond the Obvious!

Going Green beyond the obvious is my goal. Currently, I incorporate the following environmental practices into my everyday life:

1. My children and I follow a vegetarian diet
2. I bring cloth/recycled bags to the grocery store
3. I use green electricity in my home
4. I purchase and use recycled paper for my business and personal use
5. I recycle my ink cartridges
6. I recycle bottles, cans, - all things recyclable in the kitchen
7. I buy local when possible
8. I turn off lights when not in use
9. I turn off the water while brushing my teeth
10. I unplug electronics and appliances when not in use
11. I use energy-efficient light bulbs
12. I use earth-friendly sanitary products
13. I use earth-friendly cleaning supplies and soaps in my home

So besides these simple everyday things that actually don't take much effort (mostly) - I want to go above and beyond!